I'll start with a few comments, and once I am back home, I elaborate with the book in my hands.

1) I really like the swordmage class, again they created a very cinematic class with cool effects. My favorite is a "Lasso of Lightning (not the official name)" which works like the "Scorpio Chain (From Mortal Combat)", you move your target to a square next to you and deal damage in the process, visually is a "chain/laso" made of electricity.

2) Plaguescarred, this one I don't favor, but it may be just because sounds more like when "Being an Elf" was your class, I would have made it into a "Race" instead of a "Class".

3) Genasi, they changed a little the concept, so instead of being a humanoid with "genie blood/ancestry", it is treated more like an "Elemental Force-Race". I think is still OK and there is opportunity for cool characters.

4) Drow ... Hmmmm! .... OK, but I guess still feels like you need to keep playing the Good Drow that needs to prove to the world that he is not evil.

Perhaps because I was expecting a Forgoten Realms Player's Handbook, for me there is to much "Fluff" in this book, I was hoping to get more Classes / Feats, instead they give a summary of the typical motivations / adventure hooks from the most common regions of Faerun. I don't have the campaign guide, but sounds like something that should be easily deducted from the main book.

Same feeling for the section that talks about the Gods.

Dwarves for Game Mechanics are treated the same, either if they are Shield or Gold Dwarves.

.

Igbutton

09-25-2008, 05:49 PM

I really like the Sword-Mage class as well. One of the things I like most about 4e are the powers, and the ease of making your own. The SM would be a fun class to fit you style of play with custom powers.

It's does seem strange that they didn't include a couple of feats to differentiate the dwarfs like that did with elves.

I rather like the content of the player's handbook. To me a guide that is supposed to insert a character into a pre-made world should be mostly fluff.

Grimwell

09-25-2008, 07:15 PM

How balanced are the new classes against the PHB ones? I'm hoping it's pretty much even and not out of wack. :)

Dimthar

09-25-2008, 08:56 PM

One thing that I noticed in the FR Players Guide is that the designers felt a compulsive need to justify the "Tiefling" and "Genasi" races by drastically increasing their population in Faerun.

Why create Nations Full of them? Dragonborn I can understand ... it was a new race in the world, but these 2 already existed, and their backgrounds were OK.

Paragon Paths look OK, Some of them are just an adaptation of the FR Prestige Classes (e.g. Purple Knight).

I saw the "Sigil of Bane", looks Lame to me.

More details coming once I finish the book.

Igbutton

09-26-2008, 12:44 AM

There is only one "new" class. The Sword Mage. Which isn't new since it was released as a preview a few months back.

As far as balance goes it seems to be in line with the other classes.

Valdar

09-26-2008, 12:06 PM

From what I've read, the Swordmage is balanced for powers (if you keep in mind that it's a defender-controller hybrid, while the Fighter is a defender-striker and Paladin is defender-leader), but not that balanced in terms of defensive capabilities- both the Paladin and Fighter can take more punishment, and can better protect their allies.

I haven't seen one in action yet, so that's hearsay (in fact, I haven't even seen a Fighter in action yet, but that will soon change...)

Mead

09-26-2008, 11:36 PM

How about the physical quality of the book? Another thin paper/smeary ink job like the first four? Or have they beefed it up a little?

Dimthar

09-27-2008, 04:44 PM

Can't say anything, I haven't had any problems with the Core books (other than those dents made by my 3y old).

Neither I had any issues with this one. I can fairly say they have the same quality.

.

Mead

09-27-2008, 08:16 PM

I had to return mine to B&N for smearing ink. It looks like there were some batches from some of the early print runs that weren't cured properly or something.

What printing are your core books?

Dimthar

09-27-2008, 09:04 PM

I had to return mine to B&N for smearing ink. It looks like there were some batches from some of the early print runs that weren't cured properly or something.